With a distinguished reputation going back to its formation in 1983, the respected Mandelring Quartett is a family affair born in German wine country. Three highly musical products of the Schimdt family—Sebastian, Nanette and Bernhard—hail from the Neustadt an der Weinstraße wine-making region of Germany and are completed by violist Andreas Willwohl. The Mandelring is next up in the Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s ever-appealing chamber music and often string quartet-focused series, downstairs in its intimate auditorium. Internationally-traveled and winners of many German Music Critics’ Prize awards, the quartet boasts a discography over 30-titles strong. Their SBMA appearance offers up a well-balanced program: Beethoven’s Op. 18, No. 1, Bartók’s String Quartet No. 2, and Mendelssohn’s Op. 44, No. 2. Thursday at 7:30 p.m. SBMA Mary Craig Auditorium. Tickets are $20 for Museum members, $25 for non-members. 963-4364, www.sbmuseart.org.
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